biomedical sciences research institute - Research - University of Ulster

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Dr Raymond BeirneLecturer in OptometryContact details:T: +44 (0)28 70324477r.beirne@ulster.ac.ukDr Beirne’s research interests are in pure and applied human visual psychophysics, ocular ageing and ocular disease.He has been involved in a variety of laboratory-based and clinical studies of human visual function which havefocused on the normal short-wavelength visual system, how it is affected by age and the changes that can occur inthe ocular diseases of glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.The Farnsworth-Munsell 100 hue test.In particular, he has examined the structure-function relationship between short-wavelength acuity and the neurallimits to vision imposed by the retinal anatomy. The aims of Dr Beirne’s research are to gain a better understandingof how visual function changes with age, the impact this has on the observer and the effect ocular disease has onvisual function. The ability to develop novel measures of visual function in ocular disease, which better identifydisease and progression earlier than traditional methods is an ultimate goal. Dr Beirne was included in the Universityof Ulster submission to the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, UoA 12.Publications:Beirne RO, McIlreavy L & Zlatkova MB; The effect of lens yellowing on Farnsworth-Munsell 100 hue error score;Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 28: 448-456, 2008Beirne RO, Zlatkova MB, Chang CK, Chakravarthy U & Anderson RS; How does the short-wavelength-sensitivecontrast sensitivity function for detection and resolution change with age in the periphery? Vision Research, 48: 1894-1901, 2008AbstractsBeirn RO, Hogg RE, Stevenson MR, Anderson RS & Chakravarthy U; Visual function, age-related maculopathy stageand the subsequent development of age-related macular degeneration; Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science,49: ARVO E- abstract 2894, 2008Beirne RO, McIlreavy L, Gore S & Zlatkova MB; Age-related lens yellowing per se contributes little to the increase inFarnsworth-Munsell 100 hue error scores with age; Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 28: 96. 2008116
Dr Jan LauritzenLecturer in OptometryDr Lauritzen’s research focuses on human psychophysics of early visual processes in the retina, primary visual cortexand extrastriate areas, and computer modelling of those processes. In collaborations, Dr Lauritzen also has a widermultidisciplinary interest in computer modelling of physiological processes in general and the design of psychophysicalprotocols for sensory physiology and experimental psychology.Computer modelling:An array of model receptivefields used to represent simplecells in V1The early steps in vision are mediated by cells with relatively simple receptive fieldsthat have been well described. However, computer models using such receptive fieldsnevertheless provide poor predictions of psychophysical performance in tasks thoughtto be mediated exclusively or predominantly in the retina and primary visual cortex (V1),especially when the test image is complex, such as a natural image. Computer modellingof the connections between cells in V1 involved in contrast gain control mechanisms andresponses from outside the classical receptive field has been used to improve predictionof psychophysical results in contrast discrimination tasks involving natural images.A similar computer model has also been used to demonstrate that contrast gain controlcan adequately account for differences in the contrast in natural images produced bydifferent lighting conditions (diffuse and direct), thus providing a form of ‘contrastconstancy’.Example of an image pair of foliage taken in direct light (left) and diffuse illumination (right). A model of contrastnormalisation virtually eliminates the differences between the two images.Human psychophysicsContrast discrimination tasks, where human observers are detect a simple contrast stimulus before a maskingbackground, provide well-understood, predictable thresholds when the mask is also simple. However as the maskbecomes more complex, thresholds become rapidly less predictable, and for natural or pseudo-natural images resultscan be counter-intuitive. For example, masking experiments on natural images have shown that, when an image isfiltered to remove the contrast that should optimally mask a particular contrast channel, thresholds often increase(i.e. the task becomes harder). Intracortical interactions are thought responsible, and computer models are beingused to determine the nature of these interactions, in view of predicting psychophysical thresholds correctly fordifferent types of stimuli with a single model.117
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BIOMEDICAL SCIENCESRESEARCH INSTITU
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1 Foreword by the Pro Vice-Chancell
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2 Foreword by the Research Institut
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The BMSRI Research StructureThe BMS
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BMSRI Core FacilitiesContact: Karen
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of Metabolomics, pharmacy, nutritio
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BMSRI Academic Heads new Regional N
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4. BIOMEDICAL GENOMICS RESEARCH GRO
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Recent Funding Initiatives:C-TRIC:
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Dr Mateus Webba da SilvaLecturer in
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5. BIOIMAGING RESEARCH GROUPResearc
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developmental alterations that mani
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Publications:Bigot S, Lucas L, Morr
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Publications:Barnes CA, O’Hagan B
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We also measure the genotoxic effec
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6. CANCER AND AGEING RESEARCH GROUP
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Professor Anthony P McHaleProfessor
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Professor Stephanie McKeownProfesso
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an Alzheimer Research Trust collabo
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JM, Waugh DJJ; Dexamethasone potent
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have wider applications in vivo, in
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Inter-relationships between diet an
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Flatt PR; Effective surgical treatm
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These areas are the subject of seve
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Dr YHA Abdel-WahabSenior Lecturer i
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Dr VA GaultLecturer in Molecular Bi
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McClean PL, Irwin N, Hunter K, Gaul
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Publications:Duffy NA, Green BD, Ir
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8. MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGYRE
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Publications:Graham RJL, Graham C,
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analyses. However there is still a
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Plessas S, Bekatorou A, Koutinas AA
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Biochemical studies/ viral evasion
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Page 78 and 79: Dr Alison GallagherSenior Lecturer
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Page 120 and 121: Dr Julie McClellandLecturer in Opto
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Page 136 and 137: Student: Simon GenglerTitle: Effect
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